Lost
by egonspengler
Summary: A young Gary gets lost


LostLost   
  
by Irene Brabson  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Gary or any of the others, they are owned by Tri-Star   
  
Summary: 6-year-old Gary becomes lost during a camping trip with Lois and   
  
Bernie.   
  
Writer's Comment: I thought I would try this, I hope you will enjoy it.   
  
  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Lost   
  
by Irene Brabson   
  
Gary jumped out of bed. It was Saturday morning and today was the day that he   
  
and his parents were going on a one week camping trip. Gary left his room and   
  
ran straight down the hall to his parents bedroom to wake them up. He opened the   
  
door and ran into the room and climbed up on the bed, right in between them.   
  
"Hey, Mom and Daddy, it's time to get up," said Gary as he shook Bernie.   
  
"Why? What for?" asked Bernie pulling the covers over his head.   
  
"Come on Daddy, get up," pleaded Gary.   
  
"Lois, your son want's you," said Bernie.   
  
"I'm not Daddy and when he's in here this early he's your son," said Lois.   
  
Bernie grabbed the clock and glanced at the time and groaned.  
  
"Gary, it's only 3 am, come on let's go back to bed, we have plenty of time   
  
before we get ready to go camping," said Bernie, as he took Gary's hand and led   
  
him back to his bedroom.   
  
Bernie soon had Gary settled back into bed and started to leave when Gary called   
  
him back.   
  
"Daddy when do we get ready?" asked Gary.  
  
  
  
"Around 7. Now you go back to sleep and I will wake you when it is time," said   
  
Bernie as he closed the door and headed back to his room.   
  
Soon he was once again lying next to Lois.   
  
"Did you get him back to sleep?" asked Lois.   
  
"Yes, so let's get some shut eye. I'll see you in the morning," said Bernie as   
  
he put his arm around Lois and they both went straight to sleep.  
  
  
  
The next morning, Bernie was awakened by a small voice whispering into his ear.   
  
"Now Daddy? Now is it time to get ready?" asked Gary hopefully.   
  
Bernie turned over and looked at the clock, the time said 6:45 am.   
  
"Sure, it's time, but why don't we let Mom sleep a little bit longer and you   
  
and I can get things ready. Now come on, so I can help you get dressed and we'll   
  
fix some breakfast and then we'll get Mom up."  
  
  
  
"Okay, Daddy, but I'm a big boy and I can dress myself," said Gary.   
  
"Okay, but let me know if you need any help," said Bernie.   
  
"Okay," said Gary and he hurried off to his room to get dressed.   
  
Bernie smiled as he watched his 6-year-old son run off towards his bedroom.  
  
  
  
In no time at all Gary emerged from his room wearing blue jean overalls and his   
  
favorite red striped shirt and then he hurried down the stairs and into the   
  
kitchen. Lois was already up and fixing blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs   
  
for breakfast.   
  
"Mom, can you help me?" asked Gary, as he struggled to get his shirt down in the   
  
back.  
  
  
  
Lois turned around to look at her young son. The overalls that he had on were   
  
twisted at the straps and his shirt was riding up in the back.   
  
"Come here sweetie, and let's see what Mommy can do," said Lois.   
  
Lois unhooked Gary's straps and started to pull Gary's shirt down in the back.   
  
She could see that Gary was outgrowing his favorite shirt and it no longer fit   
  
him quite right.  
  
  
  
"Gary sweetie, you're going to have to put on a different shirt. This one is   
  
getting way too small for you," said Lois.   
  
"But Mom, I like this shirt and I want to wear it," said Gary.   
  
"I know sweetie, but you are growing bigger every day and you have gotten to the   
  
point that you have outgrown this shirt." said Lois.   
  
"Mom do you mean I'm growing up?' asked Gary.   
  
"Yep that's exactly what I mean. Come on let's go up stairs and find you   
  
another shirt, while Daddy keeps and eye on breakfast," said Lois.   
  
"Will do," said Bernie as he picked up the pancake turner and turned the   
  
pancakes, while Lois and Gary headed up the stairs.   
  
In a short while, Lois had Gary dressed in his blue jean overalls over a light   
  
blue pull over shirt, with his blue and white sneakers on his feet.   
  
  
  
"Daddy is breakfast ready yet?" asked Gary setting himself down at the table.   
  
"Yes, it's ready," said Bernie as he placed a plate of blueberry pancakes and   
  
scrambled eggs down in front of Gary.   
  
"Oh boy, blueberry pancakes," said Gary grabbing the syrup and pouring it all   
  
over his pancakes.   
  
"Hey Gar, save some for us," said Bernie.   
  
"Okay," said Gary. Gary placed the syrup on the table and then began to eat his   
  
breakfast as if it was the last meal that he would ever have.   
  
"Gary, slow down, before you choke," said Lois. "But Mom, I want to hurry up and   
  
eat so we can go camping," said Gary with a mouth full of scrambled eggs.   
  
"We have plenty of time young man, now you slow down and chew your food right.   
  
Do you understand me?" asked Lois.   
  
"Yes Mom, I understand," said Gary.   
  
"Good, then please do as I asked," said Lois.   
  
A hour later breakfast was done, dishes were washed and put away, and Bernie had   
  
the Gray Ghost packed and ready to go.   
  
"Do you think we have everything, Bernie?" asked Lois as she walked out carrying   
  
one of the coolers.  
  
  
  
"Here Lois, let me take that and you go back in and make sure we haven't   
  
forgotten any thing," said Bernie.   
  
"Sure honey," Lois went back into the house to double check everything.   
  
Satisfied, she went back outside and walked over towards Bernie.   
  
"Well is that everything?" asked Bernie.   
  
"Yes, except one important thing," said Lois.   
  
"And what's that?" asked Bernie.   
  
"Gary," answered Lois as she walked back into the house to call him.   
  
"Gary!" cried Lois.  
  
  
  
"I'm coming Mom, I had to get Moogie, my monkey," said Gary.   
  
Gary had Moogie, his brown and white stuffed monkey, ever since the day he was   
  
born. It had been a present to him from his grandmother Hobson, who had died   
  
when he was 4-years-old and he wouldn't go any where with out him.   
  
"Okay then, your Dad has the Gray Ghost packed and ready to go,so let's hurry up   
  
and get out there," said Lois.   
  
Gary ran out the front door with Moogie tucked under his left arm. When he   
  
reached the porch steps he hopped down them one at a time, like a rabbit hopping   
  
through the woods and then he ran over to Bernie.   
  
"Hey Gar, are you and Moogie ready to go?" asked Bernie.   
  
"Yeah, we're ready, aren't we Moogie? What's that Moogie?" said Gary as he held   
  
Moogie up close to his ear, "Okay, I'll ask."   
  
"Mom?"  
  
  
  
"What is it Gary?" asked Lois.   
  
"Could Moogie and I ride in the Gray Ghost?" asked Gary.   
  
"Absolutely not! If a car would happen to hit the back of that trailer, you   
  
could really get hurt and I would never forgive myself for letting you ride back   
  
there. No, you are riding up front with your Dad and I. Now come here and climb   
  
in next to your Dad," said Lois.  
  
  
  
"Oh I never ever get to do what I want," said Gary kicking some dirt and   
  
pouting.   
  
"Gary, there are a lot of things that I will let you do, but letting you ride   
  
in the Gray Ghost, by yourself isn't one of them. Now come on Daddy is waiting,"   
  
said Lois.  
  
  
  
Gary climbed in next to Bernie and sat down.   
  
"Let's buckle you in Gar."   
  
In no time at all Bernie had Gary buckled in and ready to roll. Lois climbed in   
  
next to Gary and then she closed the truck door.   
  
"Okay, is everybody ready?" asked Bernie.   
  
"Yeah, Moogie and I are ready," said Gary who had forgotten about riding in the   
  
Gray Ghost.   
  
"Ready and willing," said Lois.   
  
"Okay, then we're off," said Bernie.   
  
Bernie pulled the truck out of the driveway and headed down the road towards   
  
their destination.  
  
The Hobson's were on their way to Camp Mountain Lake in Petersburg, West   
  
Virginia. Gary was sitting between his parents and watching as the trees flew   
  
by. Gary was really excited about the camping trip and just couldn't wait until   
  
they arrived at their destination. "Daddy, how much longer before we get there?"   
  
asked Gary enthusiastically. "I hope it's soon, boy am I getting hungry," Gary   
  
said, rubbing his stomach for emphasis.   
  
"Oh Gary, we won't get to Camp Mountain Lake until some time tomorrow afternoon,   
  
sweetie," said Lois.   
  
"But Mom, aren't we going to stop and eat? I'm really , really hungry," said   
  
Gary impatiently.   
  
"Hey sport, let me stop and get some more gas for the trip and then we will find   
  
a place to eat," said Bernie.   
  
"Can we go to McDonald's, Daddy?" asked Gary.   
  
"McDonald's huh? Well that sounds like a swell idea," said Bernie. "But first we   
  
need to find a gas station. With all the things we had to do to get ready, Daddy   
  
forgot to check about the gas. So I'm going to pull into the nearest gas station   
  
and purchase some." Bernie pulled up to a gas station called Marvin's Gas. It   
  
was a small place with only one pump. Seeing no one around, Bernie got out of   
  
the truck and began walking towards the building..   
  
At the same time Gary was struggling to release his seat belt, so he could join   
  
Bernie. "Bernie hold up a minute, so I can undo Gary's seat belt, he want's to   
  
go with you," said Lois.   
  
"No problem," said Bernie, walking back to the truck for Gary. Soon Gary was   
  
free, Bernie helped him out of the truck and then he took Gary's hand and they   
  
both walked back towards the building together. "Hey is there anyone in here?"   
  
Bernie called out. Bernie continue to looked around the building.   
  
At the far corner of the room he saw a man that looked to be around 45. He had   
  
shoulder length dirty blond hair and a full beard. He also walked with a very   
  
noticeable limp. "Excuse me, could you please help me?" Bernie asked the man.   
  
The man's name was Marvin Hunnicutt and he was the owner of the gas station. "Do   
  
you want some gas?" asked Marvin.   
  
"Yes, I would like some gas and a couple other things too," Bernie replied.   
  
"Fine, but you make sure, you keep your kid from touching anything. I don't like   
  
children and I am not too fond of them being in here. They're nothing but a   
  
nuisance and trouble," said Marvin.   
  
Gary clung to Bernie, tears were beginning to stream down his cheeks. "Daddy I   
  
don't like that man," Gary whispered as his grip on Bernie became even tighter.   
  
"It will be alright Gar," said Bernie, sweeping his young frightened son into   
  
his arms. "Would you like me to take you back out to Mom?"   
  
"No I want to stay with you, Daddy. Please can I stay with you," Gary cried,   
  
throwing his arms around Bernie's neck.   
  
"Okay, let's get the gas and what we need and then we'll go to McDonald's and   
  
get a cheese burger and fries. How does that sound?" asked Bernie.   
  
"Can I have a milk shake too, Daddy?" asked Gary.   
  
"Well sure you can have a milk shake," said Bernie. "Let's go sport." Bernie   
  
held Gary in his arms and headed towards the other supplies that he needed.   
  
Soon everything was paid for and they were on their way once more. Within the   
  
hour Bernie pulled into a McDonald's parking lot and the trio left the truck and   
  
entered the fast food restaurant. They soon found a booth and Bernie took their   
  
order. "Okay, you two. What would you like?" asked Bernie.   
  
"A cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milk shake," said Gary.   
  
"A Double Cheese Burger and fries for me, honey," said Lois.   
  
"Okay sports fans and I will have a Big Mac and fries," said Bernie and then   
  
went up to put in the order.   
  
In a little while, they finished eating. "Well I guess we better get back on the   
  
road," said Bernie getting up from his chair and heading for the door.   
  
"Come on honey, your Daddy's ready to go and you know what that means," said   
  
Lois.   
  
"Yeah it means he's ready to go, now," said Gary smiling as he took Lois's hand.   
  
"That's right. Come on so we can catch up with him," said Lois.   
  
"Mom, when we get back to the car and Daddy starts it up again, can we sing some   
  
songs?" asked Gary.   
  
"Well of course we can," said Lois.   
  
"Can we sing Bingo?" asked Gary.   
  
"Absolutely," said Lois, smiling at her six-year old son.   
  
"Oh Boy! Daddy, Daddy, we're going to sing Bingo," cried Gary enthusiastically.   
  
"Well in that case, I guess we better get ready to go," said Bernie. Bernie   
  
picked Gary up and placed him in the truck, then he made sure he was buckled in   
  
and ready to go. Lois climbed in next to Gary and made sure that Moogie was   
  
placed in Gary's arms. Bernie climbed into the driver's seat and they were soon   
  
back on the road and heading for Mountain Lake Camping grounds.   
  
'There was a farmer who had a dog and Bingo was his name-0. B-I-N-G-O.   
  
B-I-N-G-O. B-I-N-G-O and Bingo was his name-0, There was a ----- "   
  
"Don't forget to clap Mom. You always forget to clap," said Gary.   
  
"Yeah Lo, you do that a lot," Bernie chimed in.   
  
"I don't need any comments from the peanut gallery mister. You just keep your   
  
eyes on the road. Okay?" Lois stated, playfully.   
  
"Okay your Highness," said Bernie snickering to himself.   
  
"Hey! Moogie and I want to finish the song," Gary whined. "  
  
Oh you do, do you? Well then I guess we better finish," said Bernie.   
  
"Can we sing it again?" asked Gary as soon as they were finished.   
  
"Hey sport, why don't we sing something else now?" Bernie suggested.   
  
"Like what?" asked Gary,   
  
"Oh I don't know. How about 'This Old Man?" asked Bernie.   
  
"But I don't like This Old Man, I want to sing Bingo again," said Gary.   
  
"Okay, Bingo it is," said Bernie. "There was a farmer---- "   
  
A few hours had gone by since Bernie had stopped for gas. It was going on 6:00   
  
and Gary was hugging Moogie tight, while Lois was reading a story to him out of   
  
the Mickey Mouse Fairy Tale Book she had purchased for him at a store that they   
  
had stopped at a while back.   
  
"---and everybody lived happily ever after," said Lois, finishing the story that   
  
she was reading,   
  
"Mom, Mickey and his friends sure were brave. Weren't they?" asked Gary.   
  
"Yes, honey Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were very brave indeed," answered Lois.   
  
"Mom, when we get to camp, can I have a slice of bread as thin as Mickey,   
  
Donald, and Goofy had? I want to put it up to my eyes and look though it like   
  
Donald did," asked Gary.   
  
"Oh, Gary sweetie, we could never slice bread that thin, only cartoon characters   
  
have the magic to do that," said Lois.   
  
"Your Mom's right, Gar," said Bernie.   
  
"Oh. Can we grow a bean stalk that high Daddy?" asked Gary.   
  
"No Gar, you can't," answered Bernie.   
  
"But Daddy wouldn't it be fun to climb it if you could?" asked Gary.   
  
"Sure it would be fun to be all the way up in the clouds and to see a big castle   
  
in the sky, but I wonder what you would do if you meet up with the giant?" asked   
  
Bernie.   
  
"I'll just shoot him with my water gun," said Gary.   
  
"Well what good would that do?" asked Bernie.   
  
"Because, I would shoot him right in the eye and while he was wiping the water   
  
out of his eye, I could get away," said Gary.   
  
"Oh, you can, can you?" asked Bernie. "Well what makes you think you can escape   
  
the giant?"   
  
"Because he's too big and slow and I'm just a little boy, who is much faster,"   
  
answered Gary.   
  
"Oh, I see," said Bernie.   
  
"Well I'm sure if you're that fast, there's no way that giant could catch you."   
  
"Nope, Daddy. That mean old giant could never catch me," said Gary.   
  
While listening quietly to Bernie and Gary, Lois spotted a sign that said, Dairy   
  
Queen, 5 miles exit 14. "Hey you two, how about we stop at the Dairy Queen and   
  
get some ice cream," said Lois.   
  
"Oh boy. Can I have a chocolate milk shake, Mom?" asked Gary.   
  
"Gary sweetie, you already had one at lunch. Why don't you get something   
  
different?" Lois suggested.   
  
"Oh please Mom, please, It's what I really want," Gary pleaded.   
  
"Oh Lo, let him have a milk shake. What's the difference? A milk shake or an ice   
  
cream?" Bernie argued for Gary.   
  
"Okay, But young man, I don't want to hear you complaining later that you wished   
  
you had gotten an ice cream instead," said Lois.   
  
"Okay Mom, I promise," said Gary.   
  
Later that night, Gary had fallen asleep with Moogie lying on the car floor,   
  
near his feet. He had drank his milk shake then asked for a bite of Bernie's   
  
Dilly Bar, ignoring the look his mother gave him. Gary lost the battle to the   
  
sand man around 8:15 pm and was snoring softly, sleeping between his parents.   
  
Lois looked down at her young son, she picked Moogie up and placed him in Gary's   
  
arms and then she kissed her young son on the forehead, before getting Bernie's   
  
attention.   
  
"Bernie, I hope that you don't plan to drive all night," said Lois.   
  
"Lo, if I don't, we won't arrive at Mountain Lake Camp till around 10 or 11   
  
tomorrow night," said Bernie.   
  
"Bernie, we can stop at the closest trailer park, get a good night's sleep, and   
  
be ready to be on the road by 6 am. That way we should be there by 5 or 6 in the   
  
evening. I really think we should stop. Besides I want Gary to sleep in the   
  
trailer, where he can have a bed. He looks so uncomfortable," said Lois.   
  
"Okay Lo, I'll see if I can find out where the nearest trailer park is and stop   
  
for the night," said Bernie. Bernie drove another 20 miles, before he came upon   
  
a small general store.   
  
"Maybe someone can give me some directions here. I'll go in and find out," said   
  
Bernie.   
  
"Okay Bernie," said Lois. Bernie walked up to the door and entered, the first   
  
thing he saw was a window display, that had miles and miles of candy, like gum   
  
drops, Hershey Kisses, root beer barrels and all the candy a small child could   
  
dream of.   
  
"May I help you?" asked the clerk.   
  
"Yes, my family and I are traveling and we're looking for the nearest trailer   
  
park, so we can stop and rest for the night. Do you happen to know where one   
  
is?" asked Bernie.   
  
"Yes, I can help you out on that. The nearest trailer park is about 8 miles east   
  
of here. You keep on Jackson Road, until you reach Mason Avenue, then you turn   
  
left and go another 4 miles, you will see a sign that say's 'Parker's Trailer   
  
Park'. When you see this sign turn right and you are there," said the clerk.   
  
"Thanks," said Bernie, "I would also like to buy a bag of mixed candy for my   
  
son," said Bernie.   
  
"Okay, what would you like?" asked the clerk. Bernie soon returned to the truck   
  
with a small bag of candy for Gary. He stepped back in the truck and started up   
  
the engine.   
  
"Well?" asked Lois.   
  
"There is a trailer park about 8 miles east of here. The clerk gave me   
  
directions and we should be there soon," said Bernie. Lois nodded her head and   
  
Bernie pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the road toward Parker's   
  
Trailer Park.   
  
Morning had come quickly and Lois and Bernie were getting things ready to go.   
  
They still had about 14 more hours before they arrived at Mountain Lake Family   
  
Camp and wanted to be on the road again as soon as possible. Gary was still   
  
asleep in his bed, with Moogie stuck securely in his arms.   
  
"I really hate to wake him, he looks so sweet lying there," said Lois sitting on   
  
her young son's bed and gently stroking his head.   
  
"Lo honey, I agree with you, but we have to be on our way. Why don't you go a   
  
head and get in the truck and I'll bring Gary out with me," said Bernie.   
  
"Okay Bernie, as soon as you bring him out, you hand him to me and I'll make   
  
sure that he is safely buckled in," said Lois.   
  
In just a few minutes Gary was buckled in his seat and they were soon on their   
  
way. The time was 6:30 am. They made a few more stops on the way, before they   
  
finally made it to the camp entrance around 8:00 pm.   
  
"Hey sports fans, we have arrived," said Bernie as he pulled the truck up to the   
  
registration.   
  
"Oh boy! That means Daddy and I can go hiking now," said Gary enthusiastically.   
  
"Oh now wait a minute young man. The only thing that you're doing, is going to   
  
bed," said Lois.   
  
"Oh Mom," said Gary disappointedly.   
  
"Don't oh Mom me, you know that 8:30 is your bed time," said Lois.   
  
"Can't I stay up a little while longer. Please!" begged Gary.   
  
"Oh come on Lo, let him stay up for a while, we can roast marshmallows and maybe   
  
I can tell some kind of a ghost story," said Bernie.   
  
"Oh boy, a ghost story. Please Mom, pretty please," Gary continue to beg.   
  
"Well it's against my better judgement, but okay. Bernie, I don't want the story   
  
to be too frightening, I don't want Gary up all night with nightmares and I want   
  
him settled down no later then 10:00," said Lois   
  
"Don't worry Lo, I planned to be in bed by then too or shortly after. I'm going   
  
to get up real early tomorrow and do a little fishing," said Bernie.   
  
"Can I go too, Daddy? asked Gary full of excitement.   
  
"Gar, I'm going to be leaving about 4:30 in the morning and that's way too early   
  
for you to be up. But as soon as I return, we'll all go on that hiking trip that   
  
you've been wanting to go on," said Bernie.   
  
"But I want to go fishing," pouted Gary.   
  
"Now Gary, your father is right. 4:30 is too early for you to be up, besides we   
  
will be going hiking when he get's back," said Lois.   
  
"I still want to go fishing," said Gary under his breath.   
  
"Hey sport, we're going to be here for two whole weeks. That will give us plenty   
  
of time for you and I to go fishing, but tomorrow morning I'm meeting a couple   
  
of real good friends of mine, who happen to be camping here too. So tomorrow is   
  
just going to be us big guys. But I promise I will take you fishing before the   
  
two weeks is up. Okay sport?" asked Bernie.   
  
Gary nodded his head, tears were streaming down his cheeks, he really wanted to   
  
go with Bernie and wasn't crazy about the fact that he had to stay behind.   
  
"Hey as soon as we find out where our camp sight is, we'll start the fire and   
  
get ready to roast those marshmallows. How does that sound," asked Bernie.   
  
"That sounds just fine. Doesn't it Gary?" asked Lois as she wiped the tears from   
  
Gary's face.   
  
"I guess so," Gary sniffed.   
  
"Hey Gar, cheer up. You're really going to like my ghost story. You'll see,"   
  
said Bernie.   
  
In just a little while they were at their camp sight, the fire was ready for the   
  
marshmallows and Bernie was ready to tell his ghost story. "Okay Gar, are you   
  
ready to hear the story about the Thimble?" asked Bernie.   
  
"Yes Daddy, I'm ready," said Gary.   
  
"Well this story is called 'The Tiny Little Ghost With The Tiny Little Boo.' You   
  
all have heard of ghosts haven't you? Well this is a story about a ghost that   
  
was so tiny that she could set in a tiny little thimble. Even her own ghostly   
  
parents had trouble keeping track of her because she was so small. Any way   
  
Thimble was not a very happy little ghost, because she wanted to have a big boo   
  
just like her mommy, daddy and big brother Jock. But no matter how hard she   
  
tried, all she could come up with was boo! boo! boo!   
  
'Boo hoo I want to do a really big boo, but I can't because I'm so tiny,' sobbed   
  
Thimble.   
  
'Oh Thimble, your size doesn't have anything to do with it, you just have to   
  
practice. Here I'll show you,' said Jock. Jock held in his breath and let out   
  
the loudest boo that Thimble had ever heard. 'BOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!' screamed Jock   
  
at the top of his lungs.   
  
'Oh Jock, I will never be able to boo that loud,' said Thimble as she held her   
  
hands against her ears.   
  
'Well sure you can. Give it a try,' said Jock.   
  
So Thimble copied every move that Jock did. She held in her breath and than she   
  
let it out. "Boo!" was all that came out of Thimble's tiny little mouth. 'Oh, I   
  
give up, I'll never be able to have a big boo,' sobbed Thimble and she floated   
  
off to her ghostly bedroom to cry.   
  
'Poor little Thimble, I wish there was something we could do to help her,' said   
  
Mommy sadly.   
  
'I do to, but I don't know what we can do,' said Daddy. Jock began to think of a   
  
solution to solve little Thimble's problem and came up with one ghostly of an   
  
idea. So he floated off to try it out. A few minutes later he came back carrying   
  
a tiny little megaphone, that was small enough to fit into Thimble's tiny little   
  
hands.   
  
'I just made this for her and I'm sure it will do the trick,' said Jock.   
  
'Okay, let's give it a try,' said Mommy.   
  
'Thimble,' called Daddy. 'Please come in here.'   
  
Thimble floated in with her head down low, she was one really blue ghost indeed.   
  
'Here Thimble, I made this for you so that you can have a big boo too. Now take   
  
a deep breath and say boo in to this tiny little megaphone,' said Jock.   
  
Thimble was a little doubtful if this thing-a-ma-jig would work, but she decided   
  
to try, if only to please her big brother. So with a big breath she screamed   
  
into the megaphone. 'BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' screamed Thimble. This time   
  
her boo was so loud, that her mommy jumped into her daddy's arms and Jock turned   
  
a ghastly green. ( Everybody knows that ghosts turn green when they're   
  
frightened.) Thimble was so happy she decided to go and try her new big boo out   
  
on the other ghosts that lived in the ghostly town of Ghostville.   
  
'Thank you Jock, for giving me a big boo,' said Thimble before she kissed Jock   
  
and floated off to try out her new big boo and that's the end," said Bernie.   
  
"Daddy that was silly," said Gary.   
  
"Oh it was, was it?" asked Bernie.   
  
"Yeah," said Gary.   
  
"Okay young man it's time for you to hit the hay," said Lois.   
  
"Oh Mom," protested Gary.   
  
"Now, now sport. Your mother is right. Come on and I will tuck you in. Say good   
  
night to you mom," said Bernie.   
  
"Night Mom," said Gary, hugging his mother.   
  
"Good night sweetie, I'll see you in the morning," said Lois gently kissing Gary   
  
on the forehead.   
  
Soon Gary was down for the night and Bernie and Lois soon followed. Morning came   
  
quickly and Bernie was up and getting ready to meet his pals to go fishing. It   
  
was around 4:45 and he went in to check on Gar. Satisfied that everything was   
  
all right, he packed up his gear and got into the truck and started down the old   
  
dirt road.   
  
Gary heard the truck and jumped out of bed in an attempt to catch his father.   
  
"Daddy! Daddy!," cried Gary as he hurried out of the Gray Ghost, but he was too   
  
late. Bernie had already left and he was well out of hearing distance.   
  
"Come on Moogie, we have to find Daddy," said Gary. Lying nearby in the bushes,   
  
was a white tail fawn. The only witness to a little dark haired boy, dressed in   
  
Spider Man PJ's and carrying a stuffed toy monkey, wandering down the old dirt   
  
road.   
  
  
  
It was going on 7:00 am. Lois had been up since 6 and she had decided to let   
  
Gary sleep in a little while longer. Unaware that he had left over 2 hours   
  
before in an attempt to catch up with his father. 'Well breakfast will be   
  
ready soon, so I guess I better go and wake up Gary. After all, we have plenty   
  
of fun to get into today and the next two weeks,' thought Lois to herself.   
  
Lois walked behind the curtain that was drawn in front of Gary's bed. She   
  
leaned over to wake him up and realized that he wasn't there. "I guess Bernie   
  
must have changed his mind about taking Gary," Lois said out loud to herself.   
  
She looked around for a note, but found none. 'I'm sure going to give that   
  
husband of mine a piece of my mind when he returns. The least he could have   
  
done was left me a note or something. Yes sir! A piece of mine mind,' thought   
  
Lois to herself as she grabbed the eggs out of the refrigerator to fry them   
  
for breakfast.   
  
----------------------------------------------   
  
Bernie and three of his best friends Ken Snider, David Rumgay, and Gavin   
  
Brode were enjoying themselves fishing at Hope Lake about 8 1/2 miles from the   
  
camp site. "Hey Ken, this is sure a great spot that you picked out. Boy, I've   
  
caught at least 6 trout. Lois is sure going to love these beauties," said   
  
Bernie as he held them up for Ken, David, and Gavin to see.   
  
"I'm glad you like this place Bern, I've been fishing here since I was   
  
nine-years-old," said Ken.   
  
"You've been going camping here that long?" asked Bernie.   
  
"That's right. Every summer my Dad used to bring us all here. With Mom and us   
  
9 kids, we sure had to pack quite a load," said Ken.   
  
"Nine kids? Geez you could have had your very own baseball team," laughed   
  
Gavin.   
  
"Yeah, nine kids, 6 girls and 3 boys. I was the fifth child," said Ken. "Well   
  
anyway Dad would bring us here and we would all go fishing. Even the girls   
  
knew how to bait the hooks with worms. Boy those were the days," said Ken.   
  
"It sounds like you and your family had some good times at this camp," said   
  
David.   
  
"Yeah, we sure did," Ken replied.   
  
Bernie was listening in on the conversation and was beginning to feel bad   
  
about not bringing Gary. After all, what was it going to hurt to bring him   
  
along? He was sure that his buddies wouldn't have minded and he sure would   
  
have enjoyed his son's company.   
  
"Hey guys, it's only 7:30, would you mind if I drove back to camp and bring   
  
back my six-year-old son Gary? He really wanted to come with me and I'm   
  
feeling kind of bad that I told him no," asked Bernie.   
  
"No, of course we don't mind. Go on back and get him Bern, the guys and I will   
  
be here when you both return. Won't we guys?" asked Ken.   
  
"You bet," answered Gavin.   
  
"Absolutely," answered David.   
  
"Thanks guys, Gary and I will be back in a flash," said Bernie.   
  
Bernie started to walked over to his car, when David called to him. "Hey   
  
Bern, wait up I want to come with you, I can pick up my daughter Krista, that   
  
way Gary and Krista can play together if they happen to get bored with   
  
fishing," said David.   
  
"Sounds like a great plan to me. We'll pick up Krista first and then we can   
  
drive over to my camp and get Gary," said Bernie.   
  
"Okay Bern, let's go then. Hey guys! Be back soon," David called out. Ken   
  
and Gavin both nodded their heads and waved as Bernie and David left in   
  
Bernie's truck. A few minutes later they arrived at David's camp. David's   
  
wife Kelli and daughter Krista were playing a game of go fish at their   
  
picnic table. Krista was sitting in her wheel chair. She had been born with   
  
Spinal Bifada and was unable to walk. "Hey you two, who's winning?" asked   
  
David.   
  
"Me Daddy," said Krista. "We've played five games and I beat Mommy in all   
  
five."   
  
"Yeah she sure did," said Kelli. "David, did you and the guys have a nice time   
  
fishing? I don't see any fish. Didn't you catch any?" asked Kelli.   
  
"Yes Kelli, me and the guys had a swell time and we caught a lot of fish.   
  
Bernie and I left all our gear back at the lake with Ken and Gavin. We came   
  
here to get Krista so she and Bernie's son, Gary, can play together," said   
  
David.   
  
"You know, I think that's a great idea," said Kelli. "Being an only child,   
  
Krista gets kind of lonely around here just having David and I to play games   
  
with. She should be playing with someone her own age once in a while."   
  
"Gary's an only child too and I bet he would be more than happy to have   
  
someone his own age to play with," said Bernie.   
  
Kelli nodded her head in agreement and then turned to her daughter. "Krista,   
  
would you like to go with Daddy to the lake so you can play with Gary," asked   
  
Kelli.   
  
"How old is Gary?" asked Krista.   
  
"Gary's six-years-old," answered Bernie.   
  
"Well I'm seven-years-old, but I guess I can play with a younger boy," said   
  
Krista. David walked over and swooped his young daughter into his arms.   
  
"Okay Krissy, are you ready to go?" asked David.   
  
"Yes Daddy I'm ready," said Krista.   
  
"Okay sweetie, let's go. Hey Bern, could you please bring Krista's wheel   
  
chair?" asked David.   
  
"Sure, no problemo," said Bernie as he went over to retreive the chair.   
  
Kelli walked over to Bernie's truck, to help make sure that Krista was safely   
  
buckled in. "Now Krissy, you be a real good girl for your Daddy and play   
  
nicely with Gary," said Kelli, as she gently kissed Krista on the forehead.   
  
  
  
"I will, Mommy. I promise," said Krista.   
  
"I know you will sweetie," said Kelli. "And David please keep a good eye on   
  
Krista. You know she tires easily,"   
  
"Don't worry Kelli, I promise The guys and I will keep a watch out for   
  
Krista," said David.   
  
"And Gary will help out too," said Bernie.   
  
"That's all I wanted to know, bye Krissy see you soon."   
  
Bernie and David both got in the truck and they were soon on their way. They   
  
reached Bernie's camp site in no time at all. When they arrived Lois was   
  
unpacking some of the toys that Bernie and she had brought along for Gary to   
  
play with. On hearing Bernie's truck she stopped what she was doing and went   
  
to see how many fish that Bernie and Gary had caught. When Lois finally was   
  
able to see into the truck, she was shocked that Gary was not sitting in the   
  
truck with Bernie. She began to panic. 'Oh God, I hope he just left him back   
  
with his buddies,' thought Lois to herself.   
  
Bernie parked the truck and got out. He walked over to ask Lois about Gary,   
  
but before he could ask, Lois had a question of her own. "Bernie, did you   
  
leave Gary back with your buddies?" asked Lois.   
  
"What are you talking about? Lois you know I didn't take Gary with me."   
  
"Oh my God, when I didn't see him in bed this morning, I thought you changed   
  
your mind and took him with you. Oh God Bernie, where could he be?" asked   
  
Lois, her voice rising in pitch.   
  
"I don't know Lois. I just don't know," said Bernie.   
  
Gary had walked for what seemed like a very long time and he was no closer in   
  
finding his dad. Hungry and exhausted, he sat on the ground in front of an old,   
  
dead, oak tree.   
  
"Moogie, I'm just going to rest here for a minute and then we'll look for Daddy   
  
some more. I know he has to be around here some where," said Gary, as he yawned   
  
from weariness. Soon Gary fell asleep and all the noise that could be heard was   
  
two small squirrel's scampering around in the old, dead tree.   
  
----------------------------------------------   
  
Lois never felt so helpless in her life. Her son was missing and she had no idea   
  
where to start looking for him. All she could think of was how cold and scared   
  
he must be about now.   
  
"Oh God Bernie, why didn't I hear him when he wandered off this morning? Any   
  
other time I would have heard him, if he had just stirred in his bed. Oh God, Oh   
  
God where is my baby?" asked Lois in sheer panic.   
  
She then turned to Bernie with a look of anger on her face. "Why didn't you   
  
check to make sure that he wasn't following you? You knew how much he wanted to   
  
go with you. Why didn't you check?" asked Lois as she began to cry   
  
uncontrollably. "I want my baby. Bernie, I want Gary."   
  
"Lois, honey get a hold of yourself, I promise you, we will find him. I'll take   
  
the truck and drive back in the direction of Lake Hope and see if I can spot him   
  
on the way. In the mean time, I will drop David off at his camp, he will get his   
  
pickup and drive around to ask the other campers if any of them have seen him.   
  
You and Krissy stay here, in case he returns," Bernie instructed.   
  
"Bernie, what if you don't find him? Then what?" asked Lois with a left over   
  
tear streaming down her cheek.   
  
"Lois if we don't locate him I will go to the security office and get some help.   
  
Now you stay here with Krissy, David and I will be back as soon as we can," said   
  
Bernie.   
  
Bernie and David started toward Bernie's truck when Lois called after him.   
  
"Bernie wait, I don't know if Gary is dressed or still in his Spider Man pj's.   
  
Let me go in the trailer and bring you some clothes for him," said Lois.   
  
"Okay Lo," said Bernie.   
  
"Okay Bernie, wait right there. I'll be right back," said Lois and she headed   
  
toward the trailer. A few minutes later she returned with a pair of blue shorts,   
  
a blue and red striped shirt, and a pair of brown sandals.   
  
"Here Bernie," said Lois handing him Gary's clothes. "Bernie, please find Gary.   
  
Please find him."   
  
Bernie walked over to Lois and held her against his chest, while her tears   
  
soaked his shirt. "Lo, Don't cry. I promise, it's going to be all right. We will   
  
find him. Trust me. We will find him."   
  
Bernie wiped a tear from Lois's face and gently kissed her on the lips. "Try not   
  
to worry Lo, we'll find him," Bernie reassured her.   
  
Bernie walked over to the truck and got in. David was sitting in the passenger   
  
seat waiting patiently for Bernie to start up the truck. "Okay, let's go. God,   
  
Please let me find my little boy. Oh please," said Bernie sobbing quietly to   
  
himself. Bernie started the truck and drove off in the direction of David's camp   
  
area.   
  
A few minutes later they were there. Kelli spotted David and Bernie from inside   
  
the camper and came out to greet them. "David, honey I didn't expect you back so   
  
soon. Where's Krista?" asked Kelli.   
  
"Krista is back with Bernie's wife Lois. Bernie and Lois's son Gary has come up   
  
missing and I'm going to help Bernie search for him. I'm going to take you over   
  
to their camp site, so you and Krissy can keep Lois company, while we look for   
  
Gary," said David.   
  
"Oh, I sure hope you find him. Are you going to go to the security office?"   
  
asked Kelli.   
  
"Yes, if we have to. We're going to see if we can find him on our own first,"   
  
said David.   
  
"David, I think you should go now. The longer you wait the less chance that you   
  
will find Gary," said Kelli.   
  
"Yes, you're right Kelli, we should go there first. It's just that Lois and I   
  
are so upset that we're just not thinking straight," said Bernie.   
  
"I tell you what. Why don't we go and pick up Lois and Krissy and we can all go   
  
to the security office. The sooner we do this the better it will be for Gary,"   
  
said Kelli.   
  
"Okay then, let's get back to the truck and get going. Time's a wasting," said   
  
Bernie.   
  
----------------------------------------------   
  
Gary had woken with a start. Something was crawling on his arm and as he looked   
  
to see what it was, he noticed thousands of black ants crawling all over where   
  
he was sitting. Unknown to him, he had sat on their nest and now they were   
  
crawling all over him in an attempt to get into their home.   
  
"Ahh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed Gary, jumping up from where he was sitting and   
  
running even further into the woods, leaving Moogie behind in his rush to get   
  
away from the ants. Only the squirrels heard his cries as he began to scream for   
  
his daddy. "Daddyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!! Where are you? Daddyyyyyy!!!!!!!!"   
  
"Granddaddy is this stick big enough for the fire?" asked 5 year old Michael   
  
Emerick.   
  
"Yes Mikey, that is a very good stick for our camp fire. Where's Madison?" asked   
  
Luther Emerick.   
  
"Maddy's over by the old dead oak tree looking for some fire wood," answered   
  
Mikey.   
  
Maddy had just picked up her last stick, when she spotted something lying on top   
  
of an ant hill. On going over to get a closer look, she could see that it was a   
  
brown and white stuffed monkey. "Hey little fellow, where did you come from?"   
  
asked Maddy, bending over to pick up the monkey.   
  
"Maddy! Where are you child ?" called Luther.   
  
"Here I am Granddad! Over here by the old dead oak tree," Maddy called out.   
  
"Oh, there you are. Did you find enough fire wood?" asked Luther.   
  
"Yes and I also found this," said Maddy, showing the stuffed monkey to her   
  
grandfather.   
  
"Oh, can I have it? Can I have it?" asked Mikey as he jumped up and down.   
  
"Hmm, maybe we should take it to the lost and found. This toy looks like it been   
  
really loved. So, I'm not afraid to bet that some little boy or girl is missing   
  
this little fellow about now," said Luther.   
  
"Oh gee Granddaddy, finder's keepers," Mikey pouted.   
  
"No Mikey, we have to turn it in," said Luther.   
  
"Granddad's right, besides I'm the one that found it, not you Squirt," said   
  
Maddy.   
  
"Granddaddy, make Maddy stop calling me that name. Just because she's eight   
  
years older than me, she thinks she can call me that awful name. I not a   
  
squirt," said Mikey.   
  
"Yes, you are Squirt," said Maddy.   
  
"Madison, that's enough, now let's go so we can get over to the lost and found.   
  
----------------------------------------------   
  
Security Officer Dale Pommerville, was going over some paper work, when Bernie,   
  
Lois, and David came rushing into the room. They were soon followed by Krista,   
  
who was being pushed in her wheel chair, by her mother. As soon as Bernie got to   
  
the desk, he excitedly told Officer Dale why they were there. "Please we need   
  
your help------" said Bernie.   
  
"Our little boy is missing," said Lois as she finished Bernie's sentence.   
  
"Okay, one at a time," said Officer Dale. "Now who's missing?"   
  
"Gary, our six-year-old little boy," answered Lois tearfully.   
  
Officer Dale watched with concern, as Lois continued to sob in her husband's   
  
arms. He had three daughters of his own and when his youngest daughter,   
  
four-year-old Rae Ann was kidnapped last summer, his fears were so great that   
  
there were times he thought he would never see her again. Thank God she was   
  
found and unharmed and the one who was responsible was now behind bars. So he   
  
more than understood Bernie and Lois's fears.   
  
Eyeing the chair that was sitting by the desk, he stood up and went over to Lois   
  
and took her hand. "Here, why don't you sit down and then you and your husband   
  
can give me some information about your son, so that we can locate him. Okay,   
  
tell me exactly how he came up missing," said Officer Dale as he sat himself   
  
back down in his seat.   
  
Bernie looked at Lois's tear streaked face and then turned and spoke to Officer   
  
Dale. "Well you see, we just arrived here yesterday evening and I had plans to   
  
go fishing with my three buddies, David here and two others. We were leaving   
  
early, 4:30am to be exact. Well any way, Gary wanted to go along and I thought   
  
that it was too early in the morning for him to be up. So this morning I figure   
  
that he tried to follow my truck, without me being aware of it," said Bernie.   
  
"I see, and you say that this happened around 4:30 am?" asked Officer Dale.   
  
"Closer to 4:45, to be exact, but we didn't know that he was missing until much   
  
later, because like I said, I didn't know that he had followed me," replied   
  
Bernie.   
  
"About what time would you say that you found out he was missing?" asked Officer   
  
Dale.   
  
"Around 7:30, when I went to get him up for breakfast," answered Lois. "When I   
  
didn't see him there, I thought that my husband had changed his mind and had   
  
taken Gary with him."   
  
"But, he didn't, right?," asked Officer Dale.   
  
"No, he didn't," replied Lois shaking her head and feeling very guilty.   
  
"Okay, first of all I need a picture of your son, a recent one if possible and I   
  
will make copies and distribute them around the camp and then alert the other   
  
security officers that are here. I guess you can't tell me what he was wearing,   
  
can you?" asked Officer Dale.   
  
"I don't know, he's probably still in his spiderman pj's," said Lois.   
  
"Hey come on Maddy, it's my turn to carry the monkey," said Mikey reaching for   
  
Gary's stuffed monkey.   
  
"No, besides it doesn't belong to you," said Maddy.   
  
"Granddaddy -----" Mikey whined.   
  
Everyone in Officer Dale's office turned to see what all the commotion was   
  
about. Luther Emerick and his two grandchildren were standing at the door and in   
  
his granddaughter's arms was Moogie, Gary's brown and white stuffed monkey.   
  
On seeing what Maddy was holding, Lois jumped out of her seat and rushed over to   
  
Maddy's side. "Please, tell me where you found my son's stuffed monkey. He's   
  
been missing since real early this morning and my husband and I are just sick   
  
with worry. "   
  
"I found it on top of an ant hill near an old dead oak tree," answered Maddy.   
  
"Can you show us where?" asked Bernie.   
  
"Sure, no problem," said Maddy.   
  
"Then let's go," said Officer Dale and they all went out to follow the Emerick's   
  
to the old dead oak tree.   
  
----------------------------------------------   
  
"Daddy, where are you? Come and find me," said a sad voice coming from a small   
  
dark headed boy with mud puddle green eyes, wearing Spider Man pj's and sitting   
  
on a long ago fallen tree.   
  
Just as everyone was in their cars and preparing to follow the Emerick's to the   
  
old oak tree, Ken and Gavin pulled up in Gavin's Ford pickup.   
  
On seeing them, Bernie got out of his truck and walked over to where Ken and   
  
Gavin had parked. "Hey Bern, what happened to you and Dave? You left over an   
  
hour and a half ago and when you didn't return, Ken and I thought we would come   
  
and look for you," said Gavin.   
  
"Hey guys, I'm really sorry about that, but we have a real serious crisis here,"   
  
said Bernie.   
  
"Oh, what's wrong?" asked Ken.   
  
"Gary's been missing since about 4:45 this morning and Mr. Emerick's   
  
granddaughter who's standing over there by that Chevy truck, found Gary's   
  
stuffed monkey near an old dead oak tree. We're all following them in hopes that   
  
we will find him," said Bernie.   
  
"Is there anything we can do to help?" asked Ken.   
  
"Yes, there is," said Bernie. Bernie reached into his wallet and pulled out   
  
another picture of Gary. "Could you to drive around to the other camp sight and   
  
show anyone you see, Gary's picture? Maybe there's someone there that might have   
  
seen him," said Bernie.   
  
"Sure thing Bern. Ken and I will be more than happy to do that for you and don't   
  
worry we'll find him," said Gavin.   
  
"Thanks guys for all your help. Lois and I really appreciate it," said Bernie.   
  
"Hey no problem. Okay Ken let's go, we have a little boy to help find," said   
  
Gavin before they both took off in Gavin's truck.   
  
Bernie hurried back to his truck and slid into the drivers seat. Lois was   
  
sitting next to him silently praying.   
  
"Oh Dear God, help us find him. Oh please help us," said Lois as her body   
  
trembled. Bernie pulled Lois close to his side. He could feel the shivering of   
  
her body and hear the soft weeping from her tears. He too had shed a tear or   
  
two, but at this moment he felt that he had to be strong for her.   
  
"Lo honey, it's going to be okay. Shh, don't cry, we're going to find him. It's   
  
going to be alright," said Bernie. He then kissed Lois gently on the lips and   
  
wiped her tear stained cheeks.   
  
"Bernie, I'm scared," said Lois.   
  
"I know Lo. I'm scared too, but we will find him," said Bernie. Bernie then   
  
turned to the truck next to him. Luther and his grand children were waiting in   
  
the truck to take everyone to the old dead oak tree.   
  
"Are you all ready to go now?" asked Luther.   
  
"Yes, please lead on," said Bernie as he grabbed the steering wheel with one   
  
hand and held on to Lois with the other. Everyone got into their vehicles and   
  
they all followed the Emerick's to the area where Moogie was found.   
  
"This is it," said Maddy as they pulled up to the sight. Maddy left her   
  
grandfather's truck and hurried over to where she had found Moogie. "This is   
  
where I found the stuffed monkey. It was laying right on top of this ant hill.   
  
He just looked so lonely there, that I couldn't help but pick him up and cuddle   
  
him," said Maddy.   
  
"How long ago was that?" asked Officer Dale.   
  
"About 75 minutes ago," said Luther, looking at his watch to make sure of the   
  
right time.   
  
"I wanted to help carry him too, but Maddy wouldn't let me," said Mikey with a   
  
scowl on his face.   
  
"That's because you wanted to keep him, Squirt," said Maddy.   
  
"Grand Dadddieeee!!!!. Make Maddy stop calling me that!" wailed Mikey.   
  
"Michael and Madison, that is quite enough. This is no time for bickering, these   
  
kind folk's little boy is missing and we don't have time to settle every little   
  
quarrel you two get into," said Luther.   
  
"Yes, your grandfather is right, we really need to concentrate on finding Gary.   
  
That's all that's important at this moment," said Lois.   
  
"Okay, there's at least 4 paths he could have taken," said Officer Dale.   
  
"I suggest that we separate and try each path. I'll take the path on the left,   
  
Mr. Rumgay can take the path on the right, Mr. Hobson you can take the path   
  
directly in front of me and excuse me I didn't get your name," said Officer   
  
Dale.   
  
"Luther Emerick," said Luther.   
  
"And Mr. Emerick, you can take the path that's left over," said Officer Dale.   
  
"How about us?" asked Maddy.   
  
"Yeah, we want to help too," added Michael.   
  
"You can help more by staying here with Terri, Lois and Krista," said Bernie.   
  
"Oh, no way am I staying here Bernie Hobson. I'm going with you and there's   
  
nothing you can say that will make me change my mind," said Lois.   
  
"Okay Lo, I should have know better than to try and make you stay behind," said   
  
Bernie.   
  
"You're right, you should have," said Lois.   
  
"Okay just one more thing before we get started. Here is a walkee-talkee for   
  
each of you. Take them and keep in contract with each other, if you see any sign   
  
of him, contact one of us right away," said Officer Dale as he handed each one a   
  
walkee-talkee.   
  
Soon everyone who was in the search party took off down their own path looking   
  
for Gary.   
  
"Mommy do you think that they will find him?" asked Krista.   
  
"I hope so Krissy. I hope so," said Terri,   
  
"We hope so too. Don't we Mikey?" said Maddy.   
  
"Yep," answered Mikey.   
  
----------------------------------------------   
  
"Come on Sheba. Get the ball," said Connie Daily as she threw the ball. But   
  
instead of going for the ball, Sheba who was an English Sheep Dog, started to   
  
run towards the woods.   
  
"Woof! Woof!" barked Sheba as she ran.   
  
"Sheba! Come back here!" said Connie running as fast as she could to catch up   
  
with her dog. "Sheba!" But Sheba just ignored her mistress's calls and continued   
  
to run towards the sound that she was hearing. Finally she stopped and sat down   
  
next to a frightened little boy. Sheba seemed to sense the child's fears and put   
  
her head on his lap in an effort to calm him.   
  
"Hi Doggy. Have you come to help me find Daddy?" asked the frightened child as   
  
he threw his arms around the big dog's neck.   
  
"Sheba, where are you?" asked Connie as she ran up near where Sheba and Gary   
  
were.   
  
"Woof! Woof!" Sheba reassured Gary with a lick on the face that she would return   
  
and then she went to bring Connie to him. "Woof! Woof!"   
  
"Oh there you are, you bad girl. Now what made you run off like that?" asked   
  
Connie.   
  
"Daddiee, where are you?" wailed a pitiful little voice.   
  
"Sheba did you find a lost child?" asked Connie, stooping down and petting her   
  
dog.   
  
"Woof!"   
  
"Show me Sheba. Show me where you found him," Connie commanded. Sheba ran off   
  
towards Gary and Connie was running close behind him. Soon Sheba led her right   
  
straight to the frightened young child.   
  
"Well hello little one," said Connie, stooping down and picking Gary up in her   
  
arms.   
  
"Where did you come from sweetie?" asked Connie.   
  
"I want my Daddy!" cried Gary.   
  
"Okay sweetie. Sheba and I will help you find your Daddy."   
  
"Come on Sheba, let's go back to the house, I bet this little one is hungry,"   
  
said Connie.   
  
"But I want my Daddy!" cried Gary as a stream of tears flowed down his cheeks.   
  
"I know sweetie and I'm going to help you find your daddy, but first Sheba and I   
  
are going to take you to our house so I can fix you something to eat. I know   
  
that you must be very hungry. What would you like?" asked Connie.   
  
"Blueberry pancakes," said Gary with a sniffle.   
  
"If blueberry pancakes is what you want, then blueberry pancakes is what you   
  
shall have. Come on Sheba let's go home," said Connie as she held Gary in her   
  
arms and began to walk the short distance to her trailer.   
  
Connie's trailer was just a short distance from the Mountain Lake Family Camp   
  
site. It was a small house trailer with 5 rooms and bath. On the front porch,   
  
sat another pet of hers. A brown striped Main Coon Cat who's name was Bonnie   
  
Blue, after a character in Connie's favorite movie 'Gone With The Wind'.   
  
"Hi Bonnie Blue," said Connie, climbing up the stairs to the porch with Gary in   
  
her arms.   
  
"Is that your cat?" asked Gary.   
  
"Yes sweetie, this is Bonnie Blue. Would you like to say hello?" asked Connie as   
  
she gently put Gary down on the front porch.  
  
"Hi Bonnie Blue," said Gary with a hint of fear in his voice.   
  
"Oh sweetie you don't have to be afraid of Bonnie Blue. See she likes you,"   
  
Connie commented. Bonnie Blue was sitting on the railing of the porch and   
  
rubbing her head up against Gary's hand. "That's how she tells you that she   
  
likes you," Connie explained.   
  
"But I've never seen a cat that big," said Gary.   
  
"Well Main Coon Cats do get quite big. They can weigh up to 20 lbs full grown,   
  
but they are one of the most gentle cats around. Go ahead and pet her behind the   
  
ears. She just loves that. Don't you girl?" said Connie, as she stroked Bonnie   
  
Blue behind her left ear. Gary reached up and did the same and Bonnie Blue   
  
started to purr with happiness. She really liked this little human's gentle   
  
touch and to show him how much she enjoyed his affection, she gently licked him   
  
on the face with her rough, pink tongue.   
  
"Hey that tickles," Gary giggled with delight.   
  
"I like Bonnie Blue. She's nice. "   
  
"And Bonnie Blue likes you too," said Connie.   
  
"Does Sheba like Bonnie Blue?" asked Gary.   
  
"Yes sweetie, they play together, protect each other and they sleep together   
  
every night in their own room that they share together. One won't go to bed with   
  
out the other," said Connie.   
  
Connie looked at what Gary was wearing. She knew that he had to be a bit   
  
chilled. Even though it was late August, this particular day was like a cool   
  
autumn day. The temperature was only around 55 degrees. "Sweetie you must be   
  
cold in those pj's. Come on and let me see what I can find you to put on. I   
  
think I still have a couple of things left of Brad's in here some place," said   
  
Connie.   
  
"Who's Brad?" asked Gary.   
  
"Oh Brad's my son," answered Connie.   
  
"Will Brad mind if I wear his clothes?" asked Gary.   
  
"No sweetie, Brad is all grown up with a little boy of his own," said Connie.   
  
"What's his little boy's name?" asked Gary   
  
"Brad's little boy is named Gary," answered Connie.   
  
"Hey! That's my name!" squealed Gary with delight.   
  
Connie stooped down to Gary's level and placed her hands on his shoulder. "Well   
  
Gary, I am pleased to meet you. My name is Connie."   
  
Gary looked into Connie's dark brown eyes. He knew that his Mommy and Daddy   
  
always told him to beware of strangers, but Connie was different and he liked   
  
her. He knew that outside of his Mommy and Daddy that he couldn't be in safer   
  
hands. "Connie, would you help me find my Daddy? He's lost," said Gary.   
  
"Yes sweetie, I'll help you, but first let's see if we can't clean you up a   
  
little and get you some of those blueberry pancakes."   
  
"Okay. Connie we have to find Moogie, my stuffed monkey too. I lost him when I   
  
was looking for Daddy," said Gary.   
  
"Okay sweetie we'll look for Moogie too," said Connie. Connie took Gary by the   
  
hand and led him into her trailer. "Come on Sheba, come on Bonnie Blue. Let's go   
  
in and get ready for breakfast," said Connie. Sheba stood up and left the rug   
  
that she was lying on and Bonnie Blue jumped down from the railing and they both   
  
followed Connie and Gary into the trailer.   
  
----------------------------------------------   
  
"Gary! Gary! Please answer Mommy!" Lois's voice was starting to become hoarse   
  
from calling Gary's name. But she just couldn't let that factor stop her from   
  
finding her only child.   
  
Bernie was just a couple of feet in front of his wife and he was also feeling   
  
the strain in his voice. Each step that he made seem to bring him no closer to   
  
finding his little boy. "Gar! Gar! Gar, it's Daddy and Mommy's here too. Gar   
  
please answer us," Bernie cried out in vain. But the only reply he got was   
  
silence, except for a couple of chipmunks that were arguing over an acorn.   
  
Lois suddenly stopped in her tracks, a sick feeling started to build up in the   
  
pit of her stomach. A feeling that just kept growing and growing. Suddenly, as   
  
if someone opened a gate, tears began to flow from her light blue eyes and no   
  
matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't shake the feeling of dread inside   
  
of her.   
  
Bernie turned around at the sound of his wife's sobbing. His heart went out to   
  
her when he saw how hard her body was shaking from the force of her sobs. Bernie   
  
walked over and threw his arms around Lois and began to wipe the tears away with   
  
the back of his hand.   
  
"Bernie, I just thought of something horrible," sobbed Lois as the tears just   
  
kept on coming. "What if someone abducted him? He could be hundreds of miles   
  
away from here if that happened."   
  
"Lo honey, please don't think like that. I know in my heart that he is in this   
  
camp and we will find him. You just have to hold on and have faith. We will find   
  
him," Bernie said, trying his best to comfort her. Bernie held Lois for what   
  
seemed to be an eternity. He lifted up her chin and kissed her lightly on the   
  
lips. "I promise Lo, we will find him," Bernie whispered, as he tenderly stroked   
  
Lois's tear stained face.   
  
Soon, Connie had Gary all cleaned up and ready for the blueberry pancakes that   
  
she had promised him.   
  
The smell of the pancakes really made Gary's stomach rumble and he could hardly   
  
wait until Connie was done making them, so that he could consume every last   
  
bite. "Hey Connie are the pancakes ready yet?" asked Gary hungrily.   
  
"Almost, would you like an egg too?" asked Connie.   
  
"Yes I would. Scrambled please," answered Gary.   
  
"Scrambled it is," said Connie as she turned back to the stove to finish the   
  
meal she was fixing for Gary.   
  
Gary was trying very hard to wait patiently, but his stomach was growling so   
  
much, that it made it almost impossible for him to wait. "Connie, I'm really   
  
hungry. How much longer?" asked Gary.   
  
"It's ready now," said Connie as she flipped Gary's eggs on top of his pancakes.   
  
She then placed the plate down in front of Gary and as soon as she handed him   
  
the syrup, Gary started to devour the food. It was as if he thought that some   
  
one was going to take it away from him.   
  
Connie knew that the small boy sitting at her kitchen table must have been   
  
starving. She watched with concern at the way that he was scarfing down the   
  
pancakes and began to be concerned that he might choke. "Gary, I know that you   
  
are hungry, but sweetie you should slow down so that you don't choke. Okay?"   
  
asked Connie.   
  
"Okay. Connie does Sheba and Bonnie Blue like Blueberry pancakes and scrambled   
  
eggs?" asked Gary.   
  
"Well Sheba likes the pancakes and the eggs, but Bonnie Blue will probably just   
  
eat the eggs," answered Connie.   
  
"Can I give them some? They look like they're hungry too," said Gary as he   
  
stared at the two pets that were begging for food as if they had never been fed.   
  
"No, sweetie. I want you to eat every bite, because I know how hungry you must   
  
be. Sheba and Bonnie Blue will have their dinner later. Besides they're not   
  
really hungry, they just like to stare at people when they are eating, in hopes   
  
of getting a little bite. Come on you two, go to your room so that Gary can eat   
  
in peace," Connie ordered.   
  
Connie opened the door to her pet's bed room and both pets walked in and jumped   
  
on the bed together. Laying down beside each other, they both drifted straight   
  
off to sleep. "Okay, now that that is done. We need to have a little chat," said   
  
Connie.   
  
Gary wasn't really paying much attention to what Connie was saying, he was too   
  
interested in the Mickey Mouse overalls that Connie had given him to wear.   
  
"Gary, honey I need to talk to you so I can find out where you belong. What's   
  
your last name honey?" asked Connie.   
  
Gary looked up at Connie and answered Connie's question with a question of his   
  
own. "Connie are you sure that Brad won't mind that I wear these?" asked Gary   
  
pointing to the Mickey Mouse overalls that he had on.   
  
"Oh Gary, Brad won't mind sweetie. He out grew those overalls years ago," said   
  
Connie with a smile on her face.   
  
"Yeah, but how about his son, Gary?" asked Gary.   
  
"Well Brad's son Gary is only 4 months old, so it will be a few years before he   
  
can wear them. So, since you are the only little boy around that they will fit   
  
at the moment, you can wear them. In fact you can even have them, if you like,"   
  
said Connie.   
  
"Can I really?" asked Gary.   
  
"Yes sweetie you can and don't worry. Brad won't mind," said Connie.   
  
Gary jumped down out of his seat and ran over to Connie and gave her a big bear   
  
hug. "Thank you Connie. I really like Mickey Mouse," said Gary.   
  
"You're welcome honey. Now let's talk about how to help you find your folks.   
  
Okay?" said Connie.   
  
"Okay," answered Gary.   
  
"Okay then. Gary, I need to know what your last name is. Can you tell me?" asked   
  
Connie   
  
"Hobson," answered Gary.   
  
"Hobson?" asked Connie.   
  
"Yes, that's my last name. Hobson," answered Gary.   
  
"How about your Mom's name?" asked Connie.   
  
"Mom," answered Gary.   
  
"Oh no sweetie, I mean her first name. What name does your Daddy call her?"   
  
asked Connie.   
  
"Honey," answered Gary.   
  
"Does he call her any thing else?" asked Connie.   
  
Gary began to giggle, he thought that one of the name's that his father called   
  
his mother was so funny that he started to laugh at the thought of it.   
  
"Gary, what's so funny sweetie?" asked Connie.   
  
"My Daddy sometimes calls my mom his Bunny Boo Boo," laughed Gary.   
  
Connie watched as the little boy laughed even harder at the silly nick name that   
  
his father had placed on his mother. She had to admit that it was quite amusing   
  
and couldn't help but laugh too. "Gary, your dad sure has come up with quite a   
  
silly nickname for your mom," said Connie. "I find it quite amusing, but sweetie   
  
I really must know your mom's name. Do you have any idea what it is?" asked   
  
Connie.   
  
"Lo," answered Gary.   
  
"Lo?" asked Connie with some puzzlement on her face.   
  
"Yes, Daddy calls her Lo," answered Gary.   
  
"What does your mommy call your daddy?" Connie asked, hoping to get an answer to   
  
her question.   
  
"Bernie," answered Gary.   
  
Connie was satisfied with that answer 'Now we're getting some where,' she   
  
thought to herself. 'I'll make a phone call to the camp security and see if they   
  
have a small child missing over there.' "Gary thank you for telling me your   
  
daddy's name. Now I'm going to make a phone call to see if I can't get you back   
  
with your folks," answered Connie.   
  
"Are you going to find my daddy?" asked Gary.   
  
"Yes sweetie. That's exactly want I'm going to do," answered Connie.   
  
"Moogie too," asked Gary hopefully.   
  
"Yes Moogie too. Now why don't you go into the other room and watch some   
  
cartoons, while I make this phone call?" Connie suggested.   
  
Gary nodded his head and headed for the living room to watch TV. Connie followed   
  
to make sure that the TV was on and then she went to the hallway to make the   
  
call. BRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!   
  
"Hello, Mountain Lake Family Camp. Officer Glenn Newman speaking. What can I do   
  
for you?" asked Officer Glenn.   
  
"Yes, my name is Connie Daily and I want to know if you are missing a small   
  
boy," asked Connie.   
  
"Yes we are, he's been missing since very early this morning. There is a search   
  
party out there looking for him now," answered Officer Glen.   
  
"Is his name Gary Hobson and is he about six-years-old with brown eyes with   
  
green flecks and was he also wearing a pair of Spiderman p.j's?" asked Connie.   
  
"Yes that's him. Do you know where he is?" asked Officer Glen hopefully.   
  
"Yes I do. He's sitting in my living room watching cartoons," answered Connie.   
  
"About 2 hours ago my dog, Sheba, and I were out for our afternoon walk, when   
  
suddenly Sheba broke loose from me and ran towards the woods. When I finally   
  
caught up with her, I noticed a small boy sitting on a old, fallen tree and he   
  
was crying for his daddy. So I approached him and as soon as I gained his trust,   
  
I brought him to my home, cleaned him up and gave him a bite to eat. After a few   
  
questions, that I had one heck of a time getting the answers to, I was finally   
  
able to find out that his last name was Hobson and that his daddy's name was   
  
Bernie."   
  
"Oh my, what a relief. I was beginning to think that maybe he was abducted or   
  
something. Please give me your address so I can contact Officer Dale Pommerville   
  
to let him know that Gary's been found and is safe," said Officer Glen.   
  
"Yes, of course. I live at 309 Wilson Road," said Connie.   
  
"Wilson Road?" Officer Glen asked, surprised. "My God, that's 10 miles from   
  
here. How in the world did he get all the way over there?"   
  
"I don't know. He was just one very lost little boy. Well anyway that really   
  
doesn't matter, what counts is that he is safe and unharmed," said Connie.   
  
"Yes you are right. I will contact Officer Dale right away," said Officer Glen.   
  
"Okay, I will keep him safe until his folks pick him up," said Connie. "Okay,   
  
see you soon."   
  
"Did you find my Daddy?" asked Gary as he watched Connie hang up the phone.   
  
Connie turned around to see Gary standing there, scratching his right arm.   
  
"What's the matter sweetie? Are those ant bites still bothering you?" asked   
  
Connie.   
  
"Yes, they really itch," said Gary as he continue to scratch. Connie had found   
  
out earlier that Gary had fallen asleep on an ant hill and that he had been   
  
bitten by some of the nasty insects. She had rubbed some ointment on the bites,   
  
and it had help to cool the itch, but it seemed that Gary needed another   
  
treatment.   
  
"Okay sweetie, come on and I will put some more ointment on those nasty bites,"   
  
said Connie.   
  
"Connie have you found my daddy?" asked Gary once more as he followed Connie to   
  
her bathroom.   
  
"Yes sweetie, your mommy and daddy will be here to pick you up real soon,"   
  
answered Connie.   
  
"Moogie too?" asked Gary.   
  
"Hopefully they will bring Moogie too," said Connie. Satisfied with that answer,   
  
Gary took Connie's hand and they both walked into the bathroom.   
  
----------------------------------------------   
  
"Are you sure Glenn?" asked Officer Dale.   
  
"Yes, she just called about 5 minutes ago. She definitely has him at her house.   
  
She says that he is safe and she lives at 309 Wilson Road," said Officer Glen.   
  
"Wilson Road? Isn't that about 10 miles from here?" asked Officer Dale.   
  
"Yes, we're not quite sure how he got that far on foot," said Officer Glen.   
  
"My God, it's a miracle that he didn't get bitten by a snake or worse," said   
  
Officer Dale.   
  
"Yes that's true, but the most important thing, is that he's safe and he will   
  
soon be reunited with his mom and dad," said Officer Glen.   
  
"Yes you are right. I will contact Mr. Hobson right away," said Officer Dale.   
  
"Okay and I will contact the rest of the search party and let them know that   
  
Gary's been found," said Officer Glen. Both men said good bye to each other and   
  
then Officer Dale contacted Bernie on the walkie-talkie that he had given Bernie   
  
earlier.   
  
----------------------------------------------   
  
Bernie was trying his best to keep from falling apart. He knew that Lois needed   
  
him and that he had to keep focused. He had to keep believing that Gary would be   
  
found and that he would be safe.   
  
Lois was sitting in a heap nearby, crying her heart out for her little boy.   
  
"Bernie, where is he? Where's our baby?" asked Lois as she began to cry even   
  
harder.   
  
Bernie rushed to Lois's side and knelt down beside her and wrapped his arms   
  
around her waist. "Lo, you have to hold on. We will find him, you have to   
  
believe that. Just hold on and have some faith. It's going to be alright," said   
  
Bernie.  
  
At that moment, Bernie heard a voice coming from his walkie-talkie. "Come in   
  
Mr. Hobson. Do you read me? This is Officer Dale. Are you there?" asked Officer   
  
Dale.   
  
Bernie grabbed his walkie-talkie and answered Officer Dale. "Yes, I read you   
  
loud and clear," said Bernie.   
  
"Good, because your little boy has been found and he is safe," said Officer   
  
Dale.   
  
"Oh thank God----- "   
  
"Did they find him?" asked Lois as she jumped to her feet with a heart full of   
  
hope and relief.   
  
"Yes Lo, they found him and he's safe," said Bernie as he pulled Lois close to   
  
him and held on to her as if he was never going to let her go.   
  
"Where is he?" asked Lois.   
  
"That's what I'm trying to find out," said Bernie. Bernie began to talk into the   
  
walkie-talkie once more.  
  
"Who found him and where can we pick him up?" asked Bernie.   
  
"A Mrs. Connie Daily, and her dog Sheba, found him not too far from a field that   
  
she and Sheba romp around in. So she took Gary to her house and cared for him   
  
until she was able to figure out who his parents were. She lives at 309 Wilson   
  
Road. Why don't you meet me back at the dead oak tree and we will go pick up   
  
your son," said Officer Dale.   
  
"We will be there in a flash," said Bernie.   
  
Bernie finished talking with Officer Dale then he took Lois's hand and they both   
  
headed to the old dead oak tree.   
  
Within a little while they found themselves parked in front of Connie's trailer   
  
and there on the front porch was Gary sitting on a chair with Bonnie Blue   
  
sitting contentedly on his lap. Sheba was laying on the porch near Gary's feet   
  
and Connie was sitting near by, knitting a baby blanket for little Gary, her   
  
grandson. On seeing Gary, Lois's heart skipped a beat and she could hardly wait   
  
until she had her young son in her arms.   
  
"Gary! Gary!" cried Lois as she jumped out of Bernie's truck and ran towards the   
  
porch.   
  
"Mommy!" said Gary as he nearly fell over the pets in his rush to get to his   
  
mom. "Mommy! Daddy! I'm so glad to see you," Gary cried as he leapt into his   
  
mother's arms just as Lois reached the top step. The leap nearly caused Lois to   
  
fall backwards, but she managed to catch her balance and her son at the same   
  
time. As soon as she had Gary in her arms she started to cry tears of joy and   
  
begin to smother him with dozens of kisses.   
  
"Mommy, you don't have to cry. I'm okay. Connie was real nice to me. See, she   
  
gave me these Mickey Mouse overalls. See Mommy?" asked Gary.   
  
"Yes sweetie, I see and I'm so glad that Connie was nice to you," said Lois.   
  
"Then why are you crying?' asked Gary as he looked into Lois's blue eyes with   
  
his mud puddle green ones.   
  
"Because Mommy is so glad to see you and that you are safe," said Lois.   
  
"Mommy, don't cry," said Gary as he wiped a tear from his mother's face.   
  
"It's going to be alright. Daddy tell Mommy that it's going to be alright," said   
  
Gary.   
  
Bernie walked over to the two most important people in his life. The tears that   
  
he had been holding back for so long, finally won out and they were flowing down   
  
his cheeks as if someone had turned on a faucet and forgot to shut it off.   
  
Bernie reached out for his son and Gary went right into his arms.   
  
"Daddy, you're crying too," said Gary as he wiped a stray tear from Bernie's   
  
face.   
  
"Well I guess crying seems to be catching today. You know what?" asked Bernie.   
  
"What?" asked Gary.   
  
"You're right. Now that you have been found and you are safe, everything is   
  
going to be alright. Hey, are you ready to go back to camp? asked Bernie.   
  
"Yes Daddy. Can I say good bye to Connie, Bonnie Blue and Sheba first?" asked   
  
Gary.   
  
"You sure can sweetie. You sure can," answered Lois. Bernie placed Gary back   
  
down on the porch and Gary ran into Connie's arms. Connie welcomed the young boy   
  
with a hug that was as big as her heart.   
  
"Thank you for helping me and for finding my Daddy," said Gary.   
  
"You're very welcome sweetie and I sure hope that you come and see Bonnie Blue,   
  
Sheba and me one more time before you go home," said Connie.   
  
"Can I Mommy? Please Daddy," said Gary.   
  
"Of course we can. Hey, there's someone else who missed you too," said Bernie.   
  
"Who?" asked Gary.   
  
"Well this little fellow," said Bernie as he held Moogie up for Gary to see.   
  
"Moogie you're safe. Daddy where did you find him?" asked Gary.   
  
"I didn't. Mr. Luther Emerick and his two grandchildren found Moogie. They   
  
really helped us out a lot while we were searching for you," said Lois.   
  
"Okay sport, I think it's time to finish up our good bye's" said Bernie.   
  
"Okay," said Gary. "Bye Connie, bye Bonnie Blue, bye Sheba. I'll see you soon,"   
  
said Gary.   
  
"Yes, and thank you so much for taking such good care of him. Bernie and I don't   
  
know what we would have done if anything bad would have happened to him," said   
  
Lois as she gave Connie an affectionate hug.   
  
"You are very welcome. I was more than happy that I could help," said Connie as   
  
she returned the hug.   
  
"Yeah, thank you," said Bernie as he offered his hand to Connie. Connie took his   
  
hand and squeezed it, to show Bernie that he was more than welcome. Then Bernie   
  
picked up his young son and the three of them walked back to his truck and drove   
  
off, while Gary gave Connie and her pets one last wave good bye.   
  
The End  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Email the author: reaness46@yahoo.com   
  
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